Burton promises to bring back full employment
The leader of the Labour Party Joan Burton has vowed to bring full employment back to Ireland in three years.
The Tánaiste told delegates at her party’s conference in Killarney that everyone who wants a job will have the opportunity to get one by 2018.
“In the coming year, we’ll continue to push back poverty,” she told the conference.
“Poverty has always been our enemy. And the best protector against poverty is a job.
“We’re building an economy that works. Because of the progress we’ve made, we’ll reach full employment by 2018.”
In her keynote address to the party conference, the Tánaiste vowed to increase child benefit in the next budget and said that plans for two weeks paid paternity leave will be detailed by the end of this year.
Another measure Ms Burton committed to was to ensure that every child has a right to two years of free pre-school care.
“This will be a key plank of our election platform,” she said.
The Tánaiste also spoke passionately about the campaign for same-sex marriage which is due to go to a referendum in May.
She said the reform was about providing equality for gay people and their loved ones.
“We’re fighting for everybody who loves them in turn,” she said.
“And we’ll win by making conversation and making our case. Face to face, one person at a time.
“To ensure equality of love before the law.”
Ms Burton, who was caught up in an angry anti-water charge protest in Tallaght last November, launched an attack on militant elements in demonstrations, accusing them of hijacking peaceful protest and of bullying.
“The Labour Party has a long, long history of standing up to bullies,” she told delegates.
“And I’ll tell you something else: Labour women are not easily intimidated. Nothing will stop me from leading the drive to rescue this country after Fianna Fail pushed it over a cliff.”
Alongside setting out a series of achievements in office and commitments for the future, the Tánaiste reiterated that the coalition Government with Fine Gael would meet its pledge to provide free GP care for children under six this year.
Ms Burton said the Government would also only sell the state’s majority shareholding in Allied Irish Banks when the conditions were right.
“On taking office, the banks became our problem to fix – and we’re fixing them,” she said.
“It’s only right that the people share in any benefits that flow from selling them.
“In other words, a social dividend. A measure of fairness for the massive injustice inflicted on all of us.”
On jobs, Ms Burton said more than 90,000 new jobs have been created and another 40,000 would be created this year.
She also launched a hard-hitting attack on opposition parties and politicians.
“It’s a coalition of chaos – and the country simply cannot afford it,” she said.
The Tánaiste added: “There’s a lot of noise right now about the election, but when the time comes, the focus will narrow to a single question: What’s best for you, your family, and your community?”
Earlier, a small group of people who had marched with an anti-water charge demonstration in Killarney broke away from the main protest and attempted to force their way into the conference.
More than 500 protesters had taken part in the march through the town before the incident.
The Right to Water group, which had organised the main demonstration, distanced themselves from the unsuccessful attempt to breach security at the conference.
